Apple prevents Telegram messaging app from updating over Russia ban

Apple has prevented Telegram from updating its app ever since Russian authorities ordered its removal from the App Store, the CEO of the popular messaging app has revealed. Telegram has been banned in Russia since April after the app refused to provide decryption keys to the country's security agencies, which would have allowed them to monitor the communications of Telegram users. "We believe we did the only possible thing, preserving the right of our users to privacy in a troubled country," Telegram boss Pavel Durov said in a statement on Telegram on Thursday, 31 May. While Russia makes up only 7 per cent of Telegram's user base, Apple is restricting updates for all Telegram users around the world since mid-April." Mr Durov added that issues with features like stickers were unable to be fixed, despite an update being available. The inability to update the iOS app also means that Telegram is unable to properly comply with GDPR for its users in the EU, Mr Durov said.